Medicines
Green Pages
folic acid
(folate, folacin)
Folic acid is an important vitamin that
helps prevent birth defects when the
mother takes it early in pregnancy.
Often comes in: tablets of 0.1 mg,
0.5 mg, 0.8 mg (100, 500, and 800
micrograms).
How to use:
To prevent birth defects (see p. 37),
give 0.5 to 0.8 mg by mouth every day.
warning!
gentamicin
Gentamicin is a very strong antibiotic of
the aminoglycoside family that is used to
treat serious infections.
Important: Use gentamicin only if the
woman cannot take other drugs without
vomiting, or if no other antibiotic is
available. Give with plenty of fluids.
Side effects: May cause yeast infection
in women or diaper rash in children.
Often comes in: vials for injection of
10 or 40 mg per ml.
How to use:
For womb infection after birth (see
p. 271), inject 80 mg gentamicin in the
muscle, 3 times a day until fever has
been gone for 48 hours.
For infection after abortion (see p. 410),
inject 300 mg in the muscle 1 time a day
until fever has been gone for 48 hours.
You must give other antibiotics too.
(Or use 5 mg for each kg the mother
weighs, injected in the muscle 1 time
a day.)
For infection in a newborn (see p. 279)
inject 4 mg per kg the baby weighs, in
the muscle, once a day for 7 days. So for
a 3 kg baby, inject 12 mg a day.
continued . . .
482
A Book for Midwives (2010)
gentamicin continued
Other drugs that may work:
ampicillin, benzylpenicillin, doxycycline,
metronidazole, others.
WARNING: Gentamicin can
damage the kidneys and cause
deafness. When it is given in
pregnancy, it may cause birth
defects in a baby. Do not give
gentamicin to someone who is
allergic to drugs in the
aminoglycoside family.
gentian violet
(crystal violet, methylrosanilinium
chloride)
Gentian violet is a disinfectant used to
fight fungus infections of the skin,
mouth, and vagina.
Important: Stop using gentian violet if
it irritates the skin. A person with a yeast
infection should not have sex until she is
cured, to avoid passing the infection to
her partner. Gentian violet will stain skin
and clothes purple.
Often comes in: liquid of 0.5%, 1%, and
2%; tincture of 0.5%; dark blue crystals to
mix in water where 1 teaspoon in 1/2 liter
of water makes a 2% liquid.
How to use:
For yeast infections in a baby’s mouth
(thrush) (p. 290), wipe the baby’s mouth
and the mother’s nipples with a 0.25%
liquid once a day for up to 5 days.
For yeast infections of the vagina (see
p. 327), make a vaginal insert by
soaking clean cotton in 1% liquid and
place high in the vagina every night for
3 nights (remember to remove the
insert in the morning).
Other drugs that may work:
miconazole, nystatin.